Arsenal Vs Burnley: Continuity the key to success

For only the second time this season, Arsene Wenger is expected to play the same starting XI in successive Premier League games as Arsenal prepare to travel to Burnley on Sunday afternoon. Continuity will be the key to their success.

It is heavily anticipated that, for Arsenal’s upcoming trip to Burnley on Sunday afternoon, which is a deceptively tricky tie given Sean Dyche’s side’s success against the top six this season, stealing points from Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs, Arsene Wenger will field the same team that he did in last weekend’s North London derby win.

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If the expectations are met, then it will be only the second time this season that Wenger has played the same starting XI in successive Premier League games. The first time came with wins against Everton and then Swansea City. The only change between the two XIs will be Shkodran Mustafi, who missed the Everton and Swansea victories with injury, coming in for Per Mertesacker.

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One of the more uplifting reasons for the Premier League campaign this season was Arsenal’s absence from the Champions League. The thought was that Wenger would be able to rest his star players in midweek, only playing them in the league on the weekends. For the most part, that has been true. But with injuries, suspensions and tactical tinkering, although players have been rested in midweek, some have also been rotated in and out of the squad come the weekend.

That does not help the cohesive and the continuity of the team. Players are not able to develop an understanding of one another’s game. They can become clunky and mechanical, rather than fluid and interchangeable. Mental errors arise, positional mistakes are made, loose attacking play scuppers sweeping moves. Continuity is key to success.

Last season, champions Chelsea had eight players feature in 35 or more of their 38 Premier League fixtures. A further four made between 30 and 34 appearances, while Cesc Fabregas made 29 appearances. Additionally, only two other players made 10 or more appearances, Michy Batshuayi, with 20, and Nathaniel Chalobah, with exactly 10. But of their combined 30 league appearances, only two were starts, one for Batshuayi and one for Chalobah. Furthermore, only four more players played in more than five games, John Terry, Oscar and Kurt Zouma, who all played in nine, and Rueben Loftus-Cheek, who played in six. That is the definition of a continued and connected side.

The year prior, it was Leicester City who lifted the title. They had nine players play 35 or more games that year, and another two play 30-34 games. In fact, they only six players play between five and 29 games that season. Again, the definition of continuity.

Next: Arsenal Vs Burnley: Predicted starting XI

It is no coincidence that the last two title-winners have made very few changes to their line-up throughout the season. Continuity breeds success. Now, there is an element of luck, here. Injuries, obviously, are beyond a manager’s control. But given that Wenger can rest his star players in the week, he should be looking to be play a consistent starting XI every single weekend. If Arsenal are to have a successful year, that will be why.